Innovation Alphabet

Cross Pollination

In a nutshell

Do not fear, we are not in a botany class: cross-pollination is also a valid concept in management. The basic idea is to bring together employees with diverse skills so that they can influence each other through their own, distinctive knowledge and skills. Diversity is a business reality today, but “strength lies in differences, not similarities.”

A bee approaching a flower as the Cross Pollination quickcard headerimage A bee approaching a flower as the Cross Pollination quickcard headerimage
Application fields

• Same techniques, different industries: Mercedes-Benz has tried to implement in the automotive industry the subscription models applied for years by Telcos for smartphone rentals. The “Mercedes-Benz Collection” is a program that allows subscribers to switch between different types of vehicles depending on their needs or lifestyle.

Source: MBUSA

Behavioral economics: It is the intersection of psychology and economics. It deals with the influence of psychological, emotional, cultural, and social factors on economic decisions, using the tools available to the psychological sciences. Behavioral economics has introduced the irrationality factor into the economic sciences, previously not considered by classical economics.

• Marketing & Sales: Today this is a combination that is taken for granted, but it should not be forgotten that these are two different departments. The fact is that, by now, they work symbiotically, consequentially: if a marketing team develops messages designed specifically to attract and engage customers, a sales team strives to turn engaged customers into paying customers.

Some benefits of Cross Pollination

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Industries

• RedBull and GoPro
Two companies that, in 2016, forged a multi-year partnership in terms of content creation, global distribution, and product innovation. Part of the agreement is that Red Bull gets a percentage of GoPro’s profits, and in return, GoPro gets exclusive rights to film Red Bull events.

• Topshop and Stranger Things
In 2017, Topshop turned its flagship store in Oxford Circus into the set of Stranger Things for 11 days, promoting the purchase of clothing inspired by the U.S. television series, with no Demogorgons to prevent it.

• Nike and Apple
Since the early 1990s, these two brands have collaborated to create innovative products, including fitness trackers, fitness apps, and sneakers, combining exercise and technology.

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Check out more of the Innovation Alphabet:

3D Printing

3D Printing

“3D printing” is a process carried out by an electronic device which, instead of resorting to the canonical ink, it molds almost any kind of material: from concrete to living tissue, most usually plastic, but also metal. And the operating principle is similar to that of a traditional printer. The creation of three-dimensional models can lead to the redesign of a company’s production capabilities.

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5G

5G

5G is the new frontier of cellular telephony. It was designed to improve (or completely replace) previous generations of mobile networks. The 5th generation features lower latency, ensuring flawless performance of business applications and many other digital experiences – thus enabling the new cultural generations to furiously play Fortnite away from home.

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Advanced Analytics

Advanced Analytics

The term “Advanced Analytics” refers to the ability to autonomously or semi-autonomously analyze data and content to identify correlations, develop analyses, predictions, and recommendations. It is not just a matter of collecting information and then organizing it into watertight compartments: the ultimate goal is to identify a dialogue pattern from a data-driven perspective.

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Agile

Agile

Agile is an approach to software development designed to respond to change. Teams quickly analyze the context in which they operate, identify uncertainties faced, and figure out how to adapt to always move forward. Interaction between individuals comes before processes and tools; collaboration with the customer is more important than negotiating contracts.

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Ansoff Matrix

Ansoff Matrix

The Ansoff Matrix is a marketing planning model that arises from the intersection of new and existing products and markets. It derives four possible strategies for expanding the company’s market, which are built around four variables with a changeable factor of risks and possibilities: existing product, new product, existing market, new market.

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Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is not strictly defined. Basically, it is a computer system able to make decisions in an independent and flexible way. A good AI application can perform everyday tasks better than an average person (e.g., identifying other people from their photos on social media or beating the best chess player). Nothing to fear, then. Unless you are a chess champion.

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Artificial Scarcity

Artificial Scarcity

We often tend to desire what we cannot have. Or what we are in danger of losing: Artificial Scarcity is a strategy that flaunts a limited number of items that do not correspond to actual availability. The goal is to stimulate the perception in consumers that the stock of items is about to run out and thus create a need based on the “fear of being cut off” or the intention to buy the item in order to resell it at a higher price.

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Attack Surface

Attack Surface

The term attack surface refers to the part of a system that may be subject to attack or breach by hackers. The smaller that surface is, the easier it will be to protect it. Indeed, the Internet is an ocean of deep, dark waters: those who navigate it must be aware that they are exposing themselves to a flood of digital risks. Yet, ironically, we do not need a big boat to shelter us.

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Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality is an ever-evolving technology that overlays multimedia information on top of our common sensory horizon to gain a deeper understanding of our surroundings. No, it doesn’t allow you to step out of the Matrix dream simulation, nor can it be accessed by swallowing a red pill. But neither is it the disturbing experience of the Playtest episode of Black Mirror.

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Balanced Scorecard

Balanced Scorecard

In business, as in life, you need balance. The Balanced Scorecard is a holistic tool for strategic management. It offers, in fact, the possibility of assessing corporate performance in its wholeness. An overview that embraces four perspectives: the business/financial side, customers and stakeholders, internal processes, and learning and growth.

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